Saint Augustine's Sin

According to Pulitzer Prize winner Garry Wills, most readers of Augustine interpret his meditation on sin in the Confessionesas an indication of his obsession with sex. But as Wills suggests in his discussion of book two of Augustine's influential work, sexual transgression is not Augustine's main focus as he reflects on the nature of human sinfulness. Instead, Augustine seeks to understand man's power to transgress-how it is that good creatures can choose evil deeds. He describes his own shame after participating in a minor theft as a teenager and interprets this act-and all other acts of sin-in light of the three founding sins of the Bible: the fallen angels' rebellion, the temptation of Adam, and Cain's fratricide. With a brilliant introduction and notes throughout, this is a rewarding interpretation of a seminal work translated with new vividness and authority.